Sports Scholarships

US Athletic Scholarship Information

ATHLETIC:

1. Approved NCAA
Sports:

The NCAA has a range of approved sports among three
divisions. These sports include volleyball, baseball, swimming, fencing, soccer,
field hockey, water polo, rugby union etc. The list of approved NCAA sports that
can be awarded scholarships at colleges can be found by following the link
below.

Note: Keep in mind that you do not have to be a national champion athlete to
receive funding play
sport at college. There are three divisions of ability, and
you may find that a division II or
III school suit your sporting ability better
than a division I programme. For Australian
student athletes, there is no opportunity to play netball or AFL in the US.

2. Athletic Portfolio:

Create a resume that includes notable sporting
achievements and accolades from Year 8 onwards. Including representative teams
made, results, tournaments attended as well as awards and any championships won.

3. Footage:

Source as much recent video footage as possible as well as notable
footage from previous seasons. This material will be used during the recruitment
process so that coaches are able to view your sporting performances.

ACADEMICS:

You are required to take either the SAT or ACT standardised test in order to
study in the USA.

1. SAT exam:

You can take it more than once if needed, and the best parts of the
multiple tests can be used for the best overall score. The earlier the better,
but you need to be prepared. You will need to buy or borrow a study guide for
this. When you register choose to send your scores directly to the NCAA
Eligibility Center. Choose code "9999" as your score recipient. There are 'Questions of the Day', practice questions, and practice exams available online
for free:
http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/

with the NCAA Eligibility Center at:
www.eligibilitycenter.org. This is where the NCAA (National Collegiate
Athletic Association) certifies your academic and amateur credentials. Choose
register on the home page. You don't have to finish this in one attempt. It will
ask you to create a profile, and provide extensive information about your
family, sport, schooling etc.

2. Questions:

You may be asked these question, and/or others: "Have you ever
given permission to anyone other than a parent, legal guardian or coach to
market your skills in field hockey?" or "Was any part of your payment based on
whether you received an athletics scholarship, the value of your scholarship or
admittance to a institution?" Make sure to answer correctly and get advice from
professionals as the NCAA take scholarships and amateurism very seriously.

3. High School
Transcripts:

You will need to get an official transcript or copy
of reports from Year 9. Make sure these reports are on school letterhead, and
stamped and signed by a principal. Get two copies of each sealed in separate
envelopes and have them stamp the seal so that it is obvious that it hasn't been
opened. One sealed copy is to keep for when you apply to your chosen school, the
other needs to be sent to the NCAA at the above address AFTER you have
registered with them.

4. Sending Documents:

You will also need to request that the Curriculum centre
in your territory sends this document directly to the NCAA (once you are
registered). The address is:

International college-bound student-athletes must submit the following academic
documents:

* Your academic records for Year 9 and up, in your native language and
translated to English
* Proof of graduation, including certificates, diplomas or final leaving exams
* SAT or ACT scores

NOTICE: Many Australian students select a course or track of studies in Year 10
and may not be required
to continue the study of a specific subject such as
social science, natural/ physical science or
mathematics. This fact does not
excuse the student-athlete from meeting initial-eligibility
requirements.

Social Media. Keep your Facebook/Twitter/Instagram accounts private if
possible, and be conscious of your online activity. All universities have
departments that search for your online presence so it's best practice to ensure
it's clean and respectable.

Tips and Tricks for Applying for a US Athletic Scholarship

1)

Remember to keep your login information for all of the different sites in a
safe place. E.g: Collegeboard, NCAA, ACT, SAT websites.

2)

Understand the various leagues and divisions of college sports. Within the
NCAA, there are three different divisions, each with their own rules and levels
of scholarships.

3)

The official recruiting season for the majority of sports begins on July 1st
in the summer after junior year, and the process ends with the official
admissions letter from the college/university.

4)

There are several possible stages of recruitment including initial
identification, follow up email contact, phone contact, official or unofficial
visits, letter of intent/scholarship offer, and official support from the coach.

5)

Do as much research as possible, the perfect school for you may be
unexpected.

Brief Review of the US Athletic Recruiting Process

1)

Think about what your academic and sporting goals are.

2)

Create a list of priorities for the university you wish to attend; location,
academic reputation, climate, social scene.

3)

Register with the NCAA eligibility center.

4)

Create an Athletic Portfolio that includes all leadership, extracurricular
and sporting accolades.

5)

Research all possible universities that suit the list of priorities that you
created.

6)

Initial email contact with coaches/universities of your interest; send them
all necessary information such as times, videos, awards, as well as your updated
Athletic Portfolio.

7)

Keep in regular contact with coaches of interest; fortnightly/monthly
updates.

8)

Make sure to sit the SAT or ACT exam, as many times as you need to get a
score that is satisfactory to you.

9)

Once you have made significant progress with a particular university/coach,
begin to introduce the idea of official/unofficial visits.

10)

From this point on, the coach/university you have committed to may want you
to proceed with applications in their own unique way.

11)

Apply to the university with support from the coach through the Common
Application.

12)

Depending on the institution you will hear about your academic acceptance
decision within 3 months after applying.

This information was provided to you by
Crimson Education, a global mentoring
company specialising in the US & UK admissions process, US sport scholarships,
local med school entry and tutoring for high school curriculums. In Australia,
Crimson Education has offices in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Support is
provided online and the initial consultation with an Academic Advisor is free.